


In Only an Hour

by IrisSteth



Category: Adventure Time
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-16
Updated: 2014-02-16
Packaged: 2018-01-08 23:09:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1138543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IrisSteth/pseuds/IrisSteth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A modern AU focusing on a young Bonnibel Bubblegum after her life changes forever In Only an Hour. I wanted to play around with her and Marceline's histories, origins and relationships. This is not a smut story, but rather a close fondness Bubbline relationship. Read on to see how the two orphans help each other struggle through the legal system, illness, and everyday life</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Meet the Bubblegums/In Only an Hour

**Author's Note:**

> So this fanfiction is my first. I've had a bunch of ideas but I can never see to get them down on paper. I rarely read short stories, so I was trying to make my first one at least a decent length. I have dyslexia, so while spell-check will pick up on the misspelled words, my grammar and tenses tend to change a lot, because of this I hope everything makes sense!
> 
> I don't own Adventure time or the music. This story will involve some light bubbline, but not in the sense that there will be smut or lemons. Rather the bubbline will be more of the friendship/fondness variety. Basically if you are looking for a quick fix, seek elsewhere.
> 
> I wanted to play around with Bonnibel's history, so this story is a modern (its starts off in the 90s) AU with no actual vampires or lumpy space princesses or individuals made out of gum. All characters are human or animals and do not have any magical properties.
> 
> To listen to the music that fills Bonnibel's room later on in the story, look up Tchaikovsky 1812 overture and start listening to it now (Especially if you are a fast reader).
> 
> I suffer from high anxiety, so all of my chapters will include a note in bold before the chapter begins with any possible triggers listed.
> 
> Content below is not explicit but does include the following: Verbal Abuse, Alcohol use, Murder and Curse-words.
> 
> (Yeah.. I know I like to start off strong. Feel free to turn away now. I do NOT want to upset anyone due to content)
> 
> Thanks for reading all of this! Now on to the story!

**Prolog: Meet the Bubblegums**

Bonnibel Bubblegum was an exceptionally bright child. Even as an infant she seemed to thirst for knowledge, which is probably why at eight months she began to refuse naps. She fussed and screamed whenever left alone in her crib. At first her mother ignored the behavior. It was just a phase she reasoned, but by the third nap-less week something was obviously wrong. Bonnibel's daily health was declining. Her pediatrician ran some tests, but could find nothing wrong. Their daughter was simply exhausted and needed to sleep. If it were possible for an infant to have insomnia, little Bonnibel Bubblegum had it something fierce.

Medicating a child for insomnia at so young an age was out of the question so the pediatrician recommended a list of alternatives to help get the child to sleep. A Full tummy and warm bath were first on the list, but they were already standard procedures in the Bubblegum household. So they moved on.

Bed-Time stories worked for a little while, but after a few months Bonnibel seemed to grow tired of them. It was as if she had caught on to the predictability of the narration. She seemed to know that it was the same plot, just with different names and monsters thrown in.

By her first birthday Bonnibel could only fall asleep to music. Lullaby after nursery rhyme, nursery rhyme after lullaby, her mother sang for hours each night to put the girl to sleep. Each evening, however, more and more songs were needed to put the girl to sleep. Soon her mother's voice gave out and her father began to sing instead.

These nightly serenades took a toll on the family. Both of her parents worked full time at Abraham Lincoln University. Her mother worked as an online professor from home to stay with Bonnibel, while her father made the commute each day to teach Criminal Justice courses on campus. They were exhausted, and their work performance was beginning to show it. Something had to be done.

Desperate, they bought CDs with lullabies recorded on them, but the unfamiliar and often high pitched music only seemed to upset their little princess even more. So, they began playing CD's at random. Smooth Jazz, soft rock, Boys Choir singing holiday songs.. everything, until finally something worked. They had found a cure in classical music.

Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, Tchaikovsky... you name the composure and the Bubblegum family was sure to own a CD of their masterpieces from that point on. Their little girl was finally able to fall asleep and stay that way, and they were determined to make sure that never changed.

No music was played throughout the house from that point on, except at night when Bonnibel was being put to sleep. Children's TV programming that contained music was also banned, along with all radio stations that weren't talk-news. Even toys that played music or made sounds were strictly forbidden. From then on, their little princess grew up in a house without music. She learned to read at the age of three, and occupied herself with books. She especially liked ancient myths and stories of the past. Rather than watch TV, she was left at the local libraries children's day-camp and read there while her mother worked from home. She absorbed information like a sponge. By the time she was old enough for kindergarten, they had nothing to teach her so she began first grade.

Neighbors would tell you the Bubblegum family was as sweet as their surname suggested. For years this description of them was spot on, but perfection never lasts. Sometimes everything can change in only an hour.

**Chapter 1: In Only an Hour**

Bonnibel Bubblegum had just finished the last of her extra-credit math homework when the garage door whirred into life. She had no need for to check the time. Her father always got home from the University at Nine o'clock sharp.

She had exactly five minutes to prepare for the usual night's ritual. Sliding off her desk chair she scampered for the bathroom down the hall. She quickly ran a comb through her waist length cherry-blond hair before climbing the step stool to look at herself in the mirror. She could only just see over the sink, but she thought she looked presentable enough.

Satisfied she leapt from the stool and landed with a padded-thud against the tiled floor. Her Pink-Unicorn slippers absorbed most of the sound and provided the necessary traction to ensure she didn't slip as she proceeded to bolt down a flight of wooden steps.

Her mother met her at the back door with only seconds to spare.

As her father opened the door she and her mother both spoke in rehearsed unison, "Welcome Home Daddy/Sweetie!"

Bonnibel ran to greet him like always, grasping both arms around his legs and inhaling his cinnamon scent. In return he usually lifted her up onto his shoulders and call her his little princess. Then they would all go upstairs and turn on the music she craved so much each night. But tonight was not like the others. Tonight started a new series of nights.. or more accurately of Nightmares.

As she threw her arms around her father's leg the cinnamon scent had been replaced. Her father smelled of rotten lemons. She looked up at him for his usual smile, but was instead given a scowl.

"What the fuck is she still doing up!?" His voice boomed alarming both Bonnibel and her mother.

The girl released her grip and stepped back, placing her hands over her ears as she did so. Her father had said a bad word. A word that got your mouth washed out with soap.

"She wanted to stay up to greet you.. we- we just thought" her mother stumbled placing a hand protectively on her daughter's shoulder, uncertain of her husband's sudden change.

"You just thought?! YOU THOUGHT _WHAT EXACTLY?!_ THAT OUR LITTLE GIRL SHOULD CELEBRATE HER FATHER _**LOSING HIS JOB?!"**_

Bonnibell felt her mother's hand tense. She glanced up as the same hand pushed her backwards, away from her father.

"The University?! They laid you off? You-.. you were.." her mother fumbled moving in to comfort her husband.

"DID I FUCKING STUTTER?! I WAS FIRED, GIVEN THE BOOT, HANDED MY PINK SLIP! I GAVE THOSE UNGRATEFUL BASTARDS FIFTEEN YEARS OF MY LIFE AND THIS IS HOW THEY REPAY ME! FIRING ME INSTEAD OF THOSE-"

Bonibell didn't hear the rest. She took off crying. Upset by her father's temper and unsure what had gone wrong. What had she missed? Was it something she had done? No.. it must have been something else.

She ran up the steps and sought comfort in her room as her father raged on the floor below. While the walls and floor muffled their voices so she could not understand them, she could hear them arguing and detect their movements. She opened her window and searched the sky for stars.

Bonnibel thought back to last summer, when she had woken up from a bad dream and gone to her parents room. Her mother had scooped her up and carried her out into the back yard. She settled in on the wet grass with her and pointed up at the stars. She showed her the different constellations, the ones that Bonnibel had only read about in books, the ones she had thought were neat, but seeing them now was infinitely better.

_"My little princess_ ," she could remember her mother saying said after a while, " _you shouldn't be afraid of your dreams. Look up there, that's the Big Dipper, or Ursa Major. It is the mother bear that you've read about in those myths, don't you see it? And there, next to it is the Little Dipper, or Ursa Minor, her cub. She never leaves her babies side. They are forever together in the stars_ ,"

She paused in her memory, and Bonnibel could almost hear the crickets chirping all around them as the cicadas buzzed with the wind.

_"Bonni, we will always be here for you, and when we aren't around, the stars we will never be far. So don't be afraid. You have the stars watching over you_."

Clouds blocked out the sky. So there were no stars watching... she was alone, and she was scared.

Her train of thought was shattered as her father's shouts of profanity began to reverberate around the neighborhood through her open window. They had moved into the kitchen directly below her room. It was then Bonnibel realized she needed some place to hide, but her door had no lock, and from what she had read, hiding under the bed always ended badly.

Despite how hard she tried to drown out their voices, she could hear every word.

"You need to calm down!"

"Calm down?! Calm down! Don't you fucking tell me to calm down!"

A clatter from the floor below could only mean something had fallen over.

"My god, you're drunk! What we're you thinking driving home like this?! You could have _killed_ somebody! _You could have_ ** _killed_** _yourself_! When did you even have the time to-"

There was a loud smacking sound, so loud Bonnibel could hear it even up in her room.

"Shut up!" Her father roared, "I don't need to hear this from you. I'm the man of the house. How fucking DARE you tell me what to do!"

"Honey everything will be alright, you just need to calm down so we can talk about this." Her mother's voice was quiet now, soft and timid.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID I JUST SAY?!. You think you can be free now that you're the only one with a job? They'll fire you next and then what?!"

The sound of sirens began in the distance. Someone had called the police about the disturbance, but Bonnibel didn't know that. All she knew was that she had to find a place to hide, but she couldn't think with all this noise.

Stumbling around her dark room she found the CD player and pressed play. Tchaikovsky 1812 overture began to play its opening soft melody throughout her room. She could finally think again.

The hallway closet! Yes that would be the best place to hide. She could snuggle in-between the winter coats and no one would find her!

She set down the hall the music working its way into her brain, signaling it was time for her to sleep. She let out a yawn as her father stomped around below and her mother began to shriek. As the sirens outside grew closer and closer, she focused only on the music. Slowly she settled into the closet and closed the door.

Bonnibel was asleep when a knock came at their front door. The music from her room finally reached its crescendo drowning out the doorbell.

The trumpets blared over the sound of her mother's horrified scream. The cannon fire masked both the gunshots that rang out in the living room, and the grandfather clock chime as it struck ten.

The CD softly began to play Mozart's Moonlight Sonata as the police finally broke down the front door and entered the house.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Triggers: Mention of murder, missing children, and attempted suicide. NOTHING DESCRIPTIVE just passing comments mostly. [rather be safe then sorry]
> 
> R&R
> 
> ~Iris

**Chapter 2: Lost but not yet Found**

The wooden floors under the Oriental rug creaked as Betty Petrikov entered the master bedroom.

The room was dark save for the glow that framed the door to the bathroom. The shower was running and Simon's off-key singing voice filled the room.

"Do do dooo Yeah. Where everybody, THAT'S RIGHT I SAID EVERYBODAYH, KNOOWS YOUR NAME," Simon belted out.

Betty smiled as she closed the distance between her and the bathroom door.

"... YOU WANNA BE… WHERE EVERYBODY. KNOWS." Simon paused for dramatic effect "YOUR NAAAMMEE!"

Betty interrupted her husband's musical number with a polite knock at the door.

"Sweetie, I'm going to bed now. Don't stay in there too long."

"I'll be right out Sugarlumps"

Betty smiled, she knew her and her husband's pet-names for one another were lame, but it had started off as harmless fun and ended up becoming a cheesy habit. At least they didn't get confused when calling to each other at the grocery store.

As Betty settled in under the sheets she could hear the water shut off.

A few minutes later her Husband joined her. She Rolled to face him and placed a quick kiss on the tip of his prominent nose. He chuckled softly and wrapped an arm around her waist before the pair welcomed sleep to come.

Both awoke with a start as the phone on the side-table began its urgent cry.

At this hour the couple knew it could only mean bad news.

Betty frowned, but stayed where she was while her husband answered the phone next to him.

"Hello?" Simon's voice was steady, but serious.

"Why do you need me to come in at this hour?" Simon questioned as he glanced around to his wife.

The voice on the other end was familiar, Betty noted. She strained her ears to listen in to the conversation.

"There's been an incident, Detective Petrikov. I know it's late, but the Chief has called everyone in. He expects you to come to the scene as soon as possible." The voice on the other line explained.

"What happened?"

Simon's voice was even, but Betty knew he was worried. She reached out and placed her left hand on his corresponding thigh. Without thinking he reached for it and laced his fingers between hers.

"We were called in for a domestic disturbance at 138 Chabot Rd. By the time we arrived the suspect had shot and killed his wife. He attempted to take his own but is hanging on for the moment..." The voice hesitated.

"Why do you need me then? It sounds like there's nothing more anyone can do.." Simon pressed.

"The suspect and victim have a daughter Sir, but no one can seem to find her."

Betty gasped and Simon's grip around the receiver tightened.

"How old?"

"Six."

"I'll be there as soon as I can."

* * *

It was a frenzy outside the Bubblegums home. Despite the early hour, the police barricade was swarmed by nosy neighbors and onlookers trying to sneak a peek inside the guarded house. Three different news stations we're already reporting live to the early morning news networks. Police officers from two different divisions had been called in to help out. Some were searching the neighborhood for any signs of the girl while others were maintaining the crowds around the barricade.

Simon was here to do neither of those things. A flash of his badge was all he needed to gain entry into the crime scene, where Captain Riccardo Heart met him at the front door.

"Detective Petrikov, so glad you could finally join us!" Rick said clearly forcing himself to stay civil.

"Good..." Simon paused to glance at his watch. It was 12:03 am "...Morning Captain Heart. Where can I start?" Simon said pleasantly enough. He and Rick had never gotten along and generally avoided one another. In cases like this, however, exceptions would be made.

"Talk to the newbie around back. He'll give you the rundown on what you've missed. Show him and his partner the ropes," Rick barked in reply. It was not a request, but a command.

Simon nodded and excused himself before going around back. He was surprised to see that the newbie's "partner" was a dog. A Yellow American Bulldog to be exact.

"Hey there!" He called just as a helicopter whirred low overhead. It was most likely searching for heat signatures of a small child.

Once it passed he tried again, this time getting the other officers attention.

With a high pitch whistle a blond haired chap decked out in what was obviously a brand new uniform called his dog to him before approaching Simon.

"I've never heard of a Bulldog being in the force before," Simon said to break the ice as he held out his hand, "Officer Petrikov, nice to meet you."

That's because Jake here's the only one! He's a great dog, just give him a chance. He can find all kinds of stuff! Oh I'm Finn by the way. No one really calls me by my title anyway.. I think it's because I'm new."

Finn realized he had still not shaken the man's hand and quickly did so.

Simon chuckled gently and nodded in agreement, "Well I'm here to show you the ropes Finn, but I need you to fill me in on what you know."

The two chatted briefly about the situation, the known, the unknown, and the likely outcomes to the situation.

"There wasn't any blood in her room and stuff, so I don't think she was harmed. Her window was open, so she probably ran away and is hiding somewhere. She must be really scared.." Finn said in conclusion as they looked up to Bonnibels window.

"I'm not so sure.." Simon said warily. Something didn't feel right.

"What do you mean?"

"Well.. Bonnibel is only six, and her bedroom is on the second floor. Do you really think she'd jump out of it?" Simon asked not taking his eyes away from the window.

"Well maybe she was really scared? I mean her mother was killed and all. Maybe she thought it was her only way out?" Finn doubted his own suggestion, but it couldn't be that obvious.. could it?

"Let's just say for the moment that Bonnibel did jump out of her bed room window.. do you think she would have landed without hurting herself? How far do you think she would actually get?"

"Not very far.. but Jake and I already searched this entire area and didn't find a thing! She's definitely not in the back yard.. and the helicopters haven't found anything.. which means.."

"She didn't jump out the window.. Finn.. I think we've been looking for our girl in the wrong place.."

"Bonnibel never left the house!"

The two officers ran to the front of the house with Jake happily in toe. Simon only slowed when Rick began demanding an explanation for the sudden rush.

"Go! I'll explain everything to the Chief!" Finn shouted. Jake couldn't very well go inside the house without contaminating the crime scene.

That was all Simon needed before continuing past the yellow tape around the front door.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before I begin I was wondering what you all thought of my characters so far? How do you like Simon and Betty? How about my use of Finn and Jake? If you leave a review or send me a PM I will get back to you! Anyway, this chapter will have a bit more detail in terms of the crime scene. This story is rated M but I will make sure it's not so descriptive that it turns people away. TW: Blood, dead body, murder, attempted suicide, curse words.

**Chapter 3: Detective Time**

On entering Simon paused long enough to flash his badge pinned to the inside of his jacket to the officer standing guard before taking an immediate right into a living room. Here he pulled out a pad of paper and pencil from his pocket and began to jot down notes as he wandered.

_Front entrance leads to 2_ _nd_ _floor Staircase, Left to dining room. Living room..._

Simon's first impression of the Bubblegum home was that it was unnaturally clean and orderly, especially considering a young girl was among its inhabitants. Anyone visiting would surely have commented on how lovely the place looked, it was practically right out of a home decor magazine, but Simon didn't like it. He knew it was a façade. It was a front to make everything seem perfect; experience had taught him that a home this clean was hiding something in plain sight.

The furniture in this room looked new, but the family had lived here for years... either the Bubblegum's rarely had company or had recently decided to throw thousands into redecorating. The latter seemed unlikely.

Continuing on, the living room lead to the kitchen all abuzz with activity. A photographer was busy documenting evidence while two officers stood by Ms. Bubblegum's body chatting about the game last night. One man stood alone off to the side, his eyes glazed over in shock staring at the blood drenched floor.

Simon carefully positioned himself between the man and the crime scene, offering a smile to the man whom could only have been one of the first responding officers.

"You've done good kid and you'll be on your way home soon, but I need you to tell me what happened here."

The officer shook himself to attention and stared blankly for a moment longer before reciting the story for the umpteenth time.

"My partner and I.. w-w-we got the call on the radio about some couple fighting a few blocks away. W-we didn't think it was going to turn into.." the officer paused his face turning green at the thought. A few moments passed before he continued, "I'd just rang the doorbell when the first shot went off.. the Lady there.. she screamed something awful just before it. My partner broke down the door and went in first. The second shot went off before I even got here and there was just.. so much blood.."

Simon glanced over his shoulder to the body of Ms. Bubblegum. Blood no longer flowed out of the hole in her head, but rather pooled on the wooden floor forever staining them. Strange as it was, her face was full of relief. He returned his attention to the distraught man.

"When did you realize there was a child missing?"

"I was c-calling for backup while my partner tended to the suspect. He shot himself in the chest you see, bleeding a lot and someone had to apply pressure.. a-anyway as I was calling it in I.. I.." the officer choked up and shook his head. He stared off and Simon followed his gaze to the fridge decorated with a child's drawling's.

"Her name was written on them.. in the corner.. I called for her but she didn't-"

The man was interrupted by a furious "DETECTIVE!"

Simon thanked the man and turned sharply on his heel setting off to the living room once again where he came to face the enraged Captain Heart.

The Captain face was redder then a baboon's ass, Simon noted with minor amusement as Heart closed in stopping only when his face completely occupied Simon's eyesight.

" _What the FUCK do you think you're doing here?_ " Heart hissed before continuing to shout, "You're here to find the girl not play Sherlock! I've had my best men search this place and yet despite all the evidence you INSIST she's still inside?!"

"Captain—"

"SHUT IT PETRIKOV! You've got the press outside in a frenzy. They think something's going on inside after you ran in here like that! DO YOU HAVE-"

"Captain," Simon forced out, his voice level and glare icy. "The girl **_is_** **_here_** and I **_will_** find her, **_it's what I do_**."

Simon took a single step to the side before pressing forward to the front entrance and back up the steps to the second floor leaving Captain Heart utterly speechless. Something about the house still didn't sit well with him, but he no longer had the luxury of time... no... now he had to find the girl before Captain Heart had a stroke.

At the top of the steps it became obvious that the door covered in more artwork belonged to Bonnibel... of course it didn't hurt that there was a female police officer standing by it taking photos.

The girl's room was the first Simon had seen that actually looked lived in, but it hardly seemed like one belonging to a child. Where most six year olds would have toys and stuffed animals, Bonnibel had books and more books. Books on her table, on her shelves, on even under her pillow and completely covering her bed! The girl's room was devoid of color and all other stimuli save books...

What sort of world was this girl living in?

Fighting off his curiosity for now he addressed the officer

"What did you find in here?"

"Well the rooms remained mostly untouched—" the woman began

"Mostly? What exactly did you change?" Simon cut in.

"Well the CD player in the corner was on so we turned it off, but that's it."

Simon closed the distance between himself and aforementioned CD player and pressed play. The sound of Brahms Lullaby blared from the speakers in reply. The stop button was pressed moments later and the room plunged into silence but only long enough for Simon to instruct the Officer with a knowing smile.

"Thank you. You've given me the missing piece to the puzzle. Please, follow me."

The music again flowed freely from the CD player, filling the lullaby's tune throughout the house. Ordinarily the effect would have been beautiful, but now with the girls mother lying dead on the floor below it could only be described as unreal.

The female officer followed a few paces behind Simon out into the hallway. She had seen him at work before and knew it was best to let him do his thing and wait for instructions. Simon appreciated her understanding and made note to ask her name once this was all over. if not for the girls mother dead upon the floor below and her father and the music blared throughout the house. The officer followed behind Simon a few paces letting him work.

"It wouldn't make sense for her parents to put their daughter to bed and THEN start fighting.. Bonnibel must have been up when the fight began... I'm guessing she turned on the music to drown them out," Simon explained quickly as he moved down the hall away from the music.

"If that was the case... she wouldn't wander beyond the music's reach.." he paused as the lullaby's volume finally reached a tolerable level.

Sure enough there was a door to his left, he paused and motioned for the female officer to stay quiet, but ready in case Bonnibel tried to run away or fight to protect herself.

Only after receiving an acknowledging nod did Simon open what turned out to be a closet door. It was empty save for the usual boxes, coats, and umbrellas which closets typically stored. The female officer peeked over his shoulder curious as to what he would do now, it appeared he'd been wrong.. but one look at his face showed he was still confident.

Simon sniffed audibly at the air.. something wasn't right.. the closet smelled wrong.. it smelled of alcohol.

Bending down Simon found the smell grew stronger.

The female officer watched on as he carefully shifted some boxes out of the way, and gasped as a pair of pink unicorn slippers appeared from underneath a pile of jackets. Both detective and officer feared the worst until young Bonnibel Bubblegum shifted in her sleep releasing them both of all anxiety.

Simon gently scoped her up into his arms and did his best not too wake her. He knew it would be some time before she would rest this easy again.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I owe a huge thanks to kinirohana for her help on this chapter. I used her to bounce ideas off of and as an editor so without her this chapter would be next to unreadable. Anyway this chapter is extra-long because I wanted to conclude the first part of the story. The 'meat' begins in the next few chapters and all of the stuff prior to this was necessary character/world/plot building grunt work. I hope it was at least mildly enjoyable grunt work. I probably will go back and edit the prolog/chapter 1/chapter 2 sometime and make them more consistent with my current writing style.
> 
> Anyway Marceline will be making her appearance next chapter, promise! 
> 
> As always please leave a review and here's the triggers for the chapter: mention of death, mention of suicide, implied psychological abuse.

**Chapter 4: Questions**

Bonnibel awoke with a start and quickly began to get ready for her day. Before her mind could register that the bed she lay in was not her own, her body had begun sliding itself over the edge. She realized, as her bottom hit the cold tiled floor, that this new bed was much higher off the ground.

Sitting in a daze, she ignored her throbbing backside and instead took in the pale yellow wall before her with its pink butterflies and blue balloons racing up towards the ceiling. Time passed and her other senses started to return; Smell came first, the strong antiseptic stench the room had begun to make her eyes water, followed by sound. Though the wall muffled their voices it was evident there were many people beyond it, talking all at once amongst each other and none at all familiar to young Bonnibel. She wanted to scream, but her throat was dry and she knew the consequences for making too much noise.

She settled for righting herself and was horrified to find she was not wearing her own clothes. She had no pants, no socks, no shoes, only a paper thin gown slung over her head and tied around her waist. Grabbing a spare blanket at the foot of the bed she wrapped herself in it and wandered forward. The small room was empty except for the bed, which took up most of the space anyway, and a lone chair by a door. Bonnibel gathered this was the way out, but she did not want to find out.

She closed her eyes and breathed in shakily, held it, counted to five, and let it out. She repeated this action several more times before opening her eyes again and walking to the door. Her mother had told her once, to.. oh what was the word.. _barricade_ yes... that was it, the door and hide if anything went wrong. Before Bonnibel could start putting her plan into place, the door swung outwards into the hall.

A short man wearing a suit with a bright red bowtie appeared in its place. He carried a thick brown folder in one hand and a black briefcase in the other. His face flushed upon seeing the rooms sole occupant was already up and about.

"Ah, young Ms. Bonnibel! I apologize for being tardy," He had hoped to arrive before the girl had woken up, "Please, come with me, I'm sure you must be hungry."

Bonnibel stared at him for a moment taking him in. His voice didn't quite fit his frame. It was slightly higher than it ought to be, but it wasn't unpleasant to listen to. Tiny spectacles rested on the end of his nose, their round frames making his round head seem downright circular.

The silence stretched on and the man began to adjust his things so that the folder rested under the same arm that held the briefcase. With one of his arms now free he offered it to Bonnibel, "Please, I'd love the company."

He reminded her of the Gentleman she read about in her books.. and he was right, she was really hungry. Approaching him slowly she hesitantly wrapped her hand around his, and followed as he lead them out of the room. The pair walked funnily down the hall, their height difference making the link of their hands hard to maintain, but neither said anything of it. Soon they came to a cafeteria, but did not stop.

Curious, Bonnibel looked up at the man and then back to the passing eatery. She tugged her arm down, indicating her confusion.

"Don't worry, I've already prepared something for us in another room. We can chat there while we dine."

Before long they reached an employee lounge with comfortable chairs and a few sofas scattered about. There was a TV set suspended in the far corner playing some old episodes. There were others in the room besides them, and they watched intently as the pair approached a table decked out with all sorts of cereals, bagels, breakfast meats, and even a waffle maker. Bonnibel was unaccustomed to such a variety of foodstuffs. Usually she ate the same bland cereals her father selected from the market.

The man left her just long enough to place his briefcase and folder down on a nearby table and returning to aid her in poring a glass of orange juice. Bonnibel wasn't quite sure how to feel about all of this, but her need for a full stomach won out as she filled her plate with sausages, scrambled eggs, and pancakes.

Together she and the strange bow-tied man returned to his things and sat down to eat. He helped Bonnibel with releasing her utensils and napkin from their plastic prison and munched politely on his toast as the girl inhaled her meal. With her hunger and thirst finally sated she sat back and rubbed the grains of sleep from her eyes.

Upon opening them, she saw another man had appeared across from her, next to her bow-tied friend. This new man had the scruffy beginnings of a beard, like he hadn't shaved since the previous day. His nose and lips seemed blue-hued, drawing concern from the girl.

"Are you cold?" She asked softly, curiosity getting the better of her.

Surprised by the question, the man paused only long enough to smile and shake his head.

"No, I'm not cold, but I know why you may think that. I have a condition known as celiac disease. Don't worry, you can't catch it. I'm perfectly healthy but my blood doesn't flow quite right, so sometimes I look a little funny, that's all."

It was Bonnibel's turn to be surprised. She wasn't used to being given such a direct and honest answer. Usually people told her half-truths or stories about storks bringing babies. Still another notion struck her and she spoke up again.

"How come everyone knows my name?" she looked between the two men expectantly.

"You're quite right Bonnibel, we've been incredibly rude. Allow me to introduce myself and my associate here. I am Percival Butler, and this is Detective Simon Petrikov. We're both here to help you, but first I believe Simon has some questions to ask you."

"He's right kiddo, I'm afraid I need to ask you what you remember about last night..."

Bonnibel stiffened and averted her gaze. She knew her parents shouldn't have fought. They were probably in trouble and this was some sort of test. Frowning, she realized she'd been given no reason to answer any of their questions.

"Badge..." she mumbled still not looking at either of them.

"Come again?" Simon inquired further.

"Mommy said real detectives have badges... but the bad people pretending to be them wont," Bonnibel elaborated, more confident she'd caught him lying.

Holding up a finger Simon produced the requested item and the girls chest fell. "Your mom was a smart lady, she taught you well," he added trying to lift her spirit.

Percival kicked Simon sharply to silence him, but it was too late. The pair looked back to see Bonnibel's face had hardened. Her hazel eyes, once wide and warm, had narrowed and steeled themselves against them, their once abundant curiosity replaced with skepticism.

"Bonnibel?" Simon pressed.

"I wasn't there!" she snapped, clearly not skilled at lying, "Where's my mommy! Where have you put her!?"

All at once Percival stood and walked until he was standing by Bonnibel's chair. Gracefully the man lowered himself onto one knee, meeting the girl at her level. "Bonnibel last night the police were called to your house, do you know why?"

Taken aback by this sudden display of chivalry Bonnibel found herself nodding in response.

"Because mommy and daddy were fighting..."

"That's exactly right my girl. When the police arrived they found your mother and father but they could not find you. You see my dear, your parents had been gravely injured and we feared you were harmed as well," Percival paused to take the girls hand in his own, giving it a light squeeze, "The detective here, he was the one to find you. Right now you are the only one who can tell us what happened. Do you understand?"

Bonnibel nodded numbly. Her throat had gone dry again and her head felt heavy. She heard herself speaking but wasn't sure what about. She answered the detective's questions and was escorted back to her room by Percival, who stayed with her until she fell asleep.

The following day Percival broke the news of her mother's passing and her father's role in it. Her father had tried to take his own life, however, it seemed was going to survive his injuries. For now the doctors had placed him in a coma to better monitor his progress. Percival explained that since no living relatives had come forward to care for her, she was now a ward of the state, but that he would be by her side every step of the way.

He was the one who arranged her mother's funeral and taken careful precautions to ensure Bonnibel was not exposed to the papers covering her families story. The headings department must have had a field day with this story, coming up with titles ranging from _Tragedy pops the bubblegum's bubble_ , all the way to _Mrs. Bubblegum chews the bubblegun_. Percival would not allow such rubbish near the girl as it would surely upset her.

In all honesty Bonnibel had taken the news quite well. She seemed to understand the concepts of both death and murder thanks to her love of literature. She acknowledged that after her mother's funeral she would be moving into an orphanage where she would continue her first grade year at a new school associated with the orphanage. None of these things seemed to surprise the young girl, in fact she showed very little emotion at all.

Her therapist suspected it was a coping mechanism brought on by shock. With time and therapy she would return to normal and be able to accept her new reality and move on. Ordinarily Percival would have agreed... but the therapist had not been standing next to the closed casket Bonnibel knelt before as she offered her last goodbye without tears. He had not seen just how cool and composed she had been throughout the wake, throughout the long drive to the grave site. For her own sake, Percival hoped it would not take her long to get better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really loved Percival's character in this chapter. He's probably my favorite adaptation from the show yet! What did you think of him? (please say you liked him!)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Okay I'm only sort of satisfied with this chapter. I edited it a lot and made it better, but I'm posting this before proper edits can be made because I need to get it up so I can move on with the story. I had a bit of a writers block, and every time I tried to edit it had a bit of an issue with logging into your profile. Anyway all of that seems to be fixed and I even got this chapter up before the new year! Anyway I'd really appreciate some criticism of this chapter as I made a ton of last minute changes and am overall unsure how clear it is. It makes sense in my head, but maybe not to a reader.
> 
> Anyway as always: TW: Nothing actually for this chapter. There's really no mention of anything unsettling.

**Chapter 5: Introductions**

The brick building Simon parked his car beside was, in a word, foreboding. Bonnibel sat in the back on the passenger's side, firmly locked in place by her child's seat. As much as she hated the contraption, she was grateful for it this time. It provided additional leverage allowing the girl to take in the tall black metal fence which surrounded the grounds. Their tops, she noticed, were pointed like arrowheads, surely designed to keep any wayward thief out... while simultaneously keeping all runaway children in.

Bonnibel had already undone the belts confining her by the time Simon opened her door. She gratefully took his hand and, with his assistance, clambered out onto the sidewalk. Her legs wobbled beneath her and it took a few extra moments before she was ready to walk. She had not slept well since the... incident, and her body was beginning to show it.

Simon made no attempt to release her hold from his own, he assumed the girl was just nervous about her new home. It was his job to see that Bonnibel made it to her new home safely. There had been some concern that the press might ambush her at the gate, but fortunately it looked as if that would not come to pass.

Together the pair made their way to an arch in the fence, beneath which rested an electronically operated metal gate with an intercom to one side and a sign to the other. As Simon buzzed for assistance, Bonnibel further inspect the sign. It was silver in color, welded in place just above her head forcing her onto her toes in order to read the inscription.

_MacKay's Home for Orphaned Children_

_Established in 1963_

"Yes, what is it." a sharp female voice ordered through intercom.

"Hello again Ember," Simon chuckled, "You're as chipper as always. I'm here to escort a Bonnibel Bubblegum into your care."

"And you're as late as ever Simon," the voice retorted before falling silent. It was a few moments more before the gate whirred to life, parting in the middle and finally allowing them to pass through.

"She's right... sorry kiddo, lunch is probably almost over," Simon chatted idly, leading the way.

Bonnibel wasn't listening, her tired eyes taking in the building before her, its three stories seemed to grow with each step. There were six windows per floor with three on either side of the front door. She was too caught up in the wonderful symmetry of the building to notice the pair of yellow eyes peeking out from one of the windows.

A squeeze to her hand brought Bonnibel back to the present. She and Simon had stopped in front of a large wooden door with a heavy brass knocker shaped like the head of a lion. There was no need to use it however, as the sound of locks turning came from the other side. With the hinges crying out in protest the door opened revealing the head of a woman whose hair color was just a shade darker than a carrot.

"You're looking well Ember," Simon chatted some more as he lead the way inside.

Bonnibel tried to take in the room despite the splotches in her vision, her eyes not yet adjusted after being in the afternoon sun. She could tell the room was quite spacious with a row of chairs lined up along the wood floor. The walls were a pale yellow, which neither clashed nor accented the room as a whole.

The lobby, which was the only word Bonnibel knew that could fit, was filled with the not-so-distant voices of children... talking, laughing, buzzing with activity, with life.

It was so different from the hospital... from her home. She was used to being left alone, visited only by adults who never _really_ wanted to spend time in her company did so long enough to politely bring up their true reason for coming to see her. Yes at school she had structured play times between her classes, but she never _actually_ interacted with her peers, she preferred the company of books.

Bonnibel was once again pulled from her thoughts, this time by a hand waving in front of her face.

"Bonnibel? Hellooo, anybody in there?" Ms. Ember asked, her voice not quite so stern now that she was addressing a child. It sounded fake to Bonnibel, like she only used it when speaking to an inferior being. The thirty-something woman looked a mess on top of everything else, wearing a paint stained blue T-Shirt tucked into oversized jeans held up by suspenders. Just what sort of place was this?

"The other kids are eating just down the hall," she indicated by pointing vaguely in the direction of an open doorway on the left, "You can go join them if you want. I'll take your things up to your room and give you the grand tour later."

Bonnibel hesitated... _if you want_.. that was... a suggestion? Usually adults just told what to do, where to go... but she had just been asked what she _wanted_... but this only raised a new question. What _did_ she want?

Both adults looked at her expectantly before exchanging curious glances. Simon felt the girls grip tighten on his fingers before she released them. Bonnibel walked off to follow the voices of her peers using all her spare energy to do so. She paused by the hallway and looked back, giving Simon a silent nod, before continuing on.

Ember scratched the back of her neck and exhaled, glancing sideways again to Simon, "Is she always like this?"

The detective nodded his head sadly in reply, "I don't think she knows what it's like to be a kid. She doesn't talk about her life before that night. She hasn't really shown any emotion since we told her what happened. She hasn't even _cried_... I don't really think its sunk in."

"Hm..." was all she said in reply.

It didn't take long to find the chaos that was the kitchen, what with the sheer number of individuals within its walls. Bonnibel had counted at least twenty heads, though it was hard to be sure when they weren't staying still. She stayed out in the hall and watched as the mob of children cleaned up after lunch. The older children appeared to be washing the dishes, while the younger ones dried and the youngest of all simply got in the way. Bonnibel was unsure how to go about introducing herself, but ultimately would not get the chance.

"Oh. My. GOSH! You must be the new kid!" an overall unpleasant voice yelled, causing Bonnibel to jump.

From further down the hall a dark skinned girl maybe a few years older than Bonnibel stood with her hands on her hips. "Oh giiirl I can NOT believe you're the vampire's new roommate. Chica you are SO gunna get gobbled up!"

With her cover blown, Bonnibel was quickly surrounded by the other children, each talking over the other, asking questions or shoving to get a better look at the newest arrival. All this attention, all these bodies, to Bonnibel it felt like all the oxygen was being sucked up around her. She couldn't breathe, and with her back against the wall, she couldn't escape. Closing her eyes she felt her legs give out, sending her to the ground with a heavy thump. A voice rang out not a second later.

"아이들! 그만!"

Bonnibel did not recognize the words, but the other children seemed to understand it and quickly fled, giggling and gossiping down the hall leaving Bonnibel alone on the floor.

"이봐, are you alright?" the voice asked, switching from the foreign language to accented English.

Bonnibel was uncertain how to respond. _Was_ she alright? She fought back the sudden urge to cry and instead forced her eyes open, taking in the Asian woman. Despite her hair being in an inhumanly neat bun, her outfit looked as if it had been chosen by a toddler... a colorblind toddler. One sock was yellow, the other red, the apron around her was green while the shirt beneath it appeared pink. To top it all off she donned the most neon shade of blue slacks Bonnibel had ever seen.

When Bonnibel did not respond, the woman moved in and scooped the girl up into her arms, examining her as she did so.

" 좋은, you do not appear hurt," she said with a relieved sigh, "My name is Mi Kyong, but everyone calls me Lady. I saved you some lunch so let's eat, 괜찮아?"

Bonnibel must have nodded as soon she was placed down in a chair at a very long table and presented with a fairly standard grilled cheese sandwich. Lady poured her a glass of apple juice and sat it down beside her before finishing up the dishes.

The two kept up the mutual silence and soon enough Bonnibel was done. She brought her dishes over to the sink and gave a nod of thanks before wandering out to find her room. Lady watched her go, but did not stop her. As much as it pained her, it was best to let the new children adjust in their own way.

Wandering the halls Bonnibel passed a laundry room and bathroom, before finding the staircase leading up to the second floor. She paused, but heard the voices of other children coming closer. The last thing she wanted was to see them again after being surrounded, so up the stairs she went, gripping the railing for added support. By the time she reached the top she and considered what it was she wanted to do exactly.

She was winded by the time she reached the top. She had hardly left her hospital room, so her body had grown unaccustomed to such exertion, let alone that number of stairs. To make matters worse, the voices were still getting closer. Panic set in, all Bonnibel wanted was some time to herself. She hadn't had time to prepare for small talk, or for the questions they were surely going to ask again.

Moving quickly down the new hall she noted each door was decorated, presumably by the children whom resided behind it. She could hear footsteps bounding up the staircase behind her... and she was running out of time. She scanned the hall for a place to hide, and spotted a door she'd missed. It was in the far corner, undecorated and plane, easily overlooked, and the perfect place for her.

She was thankful that it did not squeak as she slipped in and shut it behind her in one fluid motion. She held her breath, listening as the footprints grew louder then stopped a door further down the hall slamming shut.

Bonnibel exhaled shakily, while she was safe for now, there was no chance she'd be able to sneak down the hall unnoticed... she was stuck for now. Strangely this did not upset her, she was relieved to be in a smaller room again, even if it was dark, far darker then it should have been actually. Squinting, she was able to make out the silhouette of a window on the wall opposite her. Bonnibel fumbled as quietly as possible across the hall to open the blinds when a hiss came from her left.

Bonnibel's heart leap into her throat, whirling towards the sound to see a figure sitting up from a bed.

"Keep em thut, I don't like the thun."

A lamp clicked on, revealing the speaker to be an Asian girl about her age. Her hair was black, like Ladies, but cut short. Her skin was a sickly yellow and, to Bonnibels horror, so were the whites of her eyes.

"I'm Marth-Marssseline" she forced out, smiling to reveal her front four teeth were missing. She wriggled her tongue in the gap for fun.

Bonnibel's eyes widened and her eyebrows shot straight up. The girl before her... had _fangs_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations below (in order of appearance):
> 
> 아이들! 그만 = Children! Stop
> 
> 이봐 = Look (here) basically means 'there there, are you alright?'
> 
> 좋은 = Good
> 
> 괜찮아 = Okay?
> 
> Also Marceline has a lisp, which makes it really hard to say her own name (/s/ become /th/). Tell me what you think!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a lot of characters now for this story, so I wanted to give a breakdown of 'who's who.' There's a character index at in the end notes, which I will add to as more characters are introduced. 
> 
> Trigger warning: Sick (ill) children, foreshadowing/mild suggestions of child abuse (nothing detailed)

**Chapter 6: Catharsis**

"V-vampire..." Bonnibel breathed.

Marceline frowned and looked away, giving a quick sniff at the same time. Bonnibel felt sure she was about to cry when she turned again this time a ball of fury.

"Go on then! Leave! You think I'm a mon- a mon..." she struggled to get the word out, "A Monster!" it came out clear and loud, surely alerting the whole house.

Bonnibel was taken aback, but not frightened, she moved to try and correct the misunderstanding only to watch Marceline's face turn white, her eyes all at once afraid. The next moment the frail girl fell forwards and onto the floor, coughing violently all the while.

_What..._ Bonnibel though as she watched the Marceline curl into herself, her eyes bulging and lips gulping for air like a fish for water. _What's going on?_

Bonnibel stepped back frightened, heavy footsteps already rushing down the hall. The door flew open and Ladies imperfect bun was now loose, hair falling wildly about her face.

"무슨 일이지?!"

Bonnibel did not have to speak Korean to know what the woman was asking.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean too!"

Lady by this point had gone to Marceline's aid, scooping the girl up and placing her back into bed, pushing lightly on her shoulders to keep her chest open, allowing it to fully compress and expand for the first time since the girls fit had begun.

Bonnibel did not, no she _could not_ watch anymore. Adrenalin surged through her tiny frame as she bolted through the open door, narrowly avoiding a collision with Ember as she went. She didn't know what to do, she didn't know what she had done wrong, and she certainly didn't know where she was supposed to go. It didn't matter though, as Ember had no intentions of letting her get that far. The woman's strong hands slipped beneath the girls arms, lifting her off the ground.

Bonnibel's scream was animalistic, a mix of raw terror and rage. Raising her arms up over her head left Ember with nothing to hold, causing the girl to fall to the ground in a heap. Free, she scrambled into a frantic crawl towards the stairs, but was quickly hoisted up again, this time into a football hold. Bonnibel squirmed to get free, but was effectively pinned under her captor's right arm.

"NO NO NO! LET ME GOOO," Bonnibel screeched, throwing her body this way and that. She kicked and punched and fought as she was carried down the steps and past a crowd of on looking children, who parted to let Ember through.

By the time the pair reached the quiet of a posh office adjacent to the main lobby, Bonnibel had worn herself out. She no longer struggled and welcomed the soft dark leather sofa she was lowered face first onto. Her energy spent, she lay still for a moment before turning her head to watch Ember adjust her twisted overalls.

"I'm sorry—I..." she started

"None of that," Ember snapped, her full attention given to the orphanage's newest arrival, "No more apologizing. No more "I'm Sorry". I want you to tell me what's going on."

Bonnibel didn't understand and began wracking her brain for a possible answer.

"I was looking around..." she paused, unsure of how to explain it exactly. Ember stood still, hands on her hips, waiting.

"I... wanted to be alone," she admitted softly, "I thought that room wasn't used! That girl... scared me, I heard other kids talking about a vampire, and thought she must be who they meant!" She explained a bit more clearly, like she was working out what had just happened out loud to herself more then to Ember. "I didn't think she'd get so angry... and then she- she just... fell..."

Bonnibel went quiet, reality slowly catching up with her. Ember noticed the change in the girl's demeanor and moved forward, kneeling as Lady had done earlier.

"Bonnibel... _please_ tell me, what's the matter?"

With that the spell was broken. The last wall crumbled and let all the emotions she had fought back or ignored in the last two weeks. For the first time since her mother's death, Bonibbel cried. Bitter tears, sad tears, snot running down her face tears. She sobbed openly, her cries desperate, hopeless, _lost._ With anger spent, grief's cold grasp took hold, shaking her body from head to toe.

She forced her eyes shut, wishing it was all a dream, it was all a nightmare. She would wake up and everything would be back to normal. She would be a good girl, a perfect girl, following her mother's instructions, careful to never disobey or anger her father. Then the music would play once more.

Kind hands wrapped around her once again and this time she did not fight them. She was pulled into a tight embrace, her head cushioned against Ember's soft chest. She smelled of wood smoke and incense.

The warmth of the other woman, the gentle way she rocked back and forth, the soft beat of her heart. Bonnibel clung to it. She cried, burring her head into Ember's shoulder, her shirt now doubling as a tissue and growing damp.

It was a long while before Bonnibel calmed down, before she pulled herself away to wipe at her nose and eyes with the back of her hand and arm. Tears still fell freely down her cheeks, pooling together under her chin before finally breaking free in small drips, dampening her shirt, but they were not as desperate as before.

"It's my fault..." she croaked, her throat sore from all the recent outbursts.

"No... It's not your fault sweetie... Marceline is... sick. We're trying to help her but the doctors don't know what's wrong yet. That fit would have happened even if you weren't there," Ember did her best to explain but stopped when she felt a tug on her overalls. Looking down she watched the girl shake her head and lean in, once again clinging tight but she did not say any more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonnibel Bubblegum = Princess Bubblegum
> 
> Marceline (last name not yet known) = Marceline Abadeer (the vampire queen)
> 
> Detective Simon Petrikov = Ice King
> 
> Betty Petrikov = Ice King's love interest pre-crown
> 
> Officer Finn (K9 police rookie, last name not yet known) = Finn the Human
> 
> Jake (Finn's canine partner) = Jake the Dog
> 
> Captain Riccardo "Rick" Heart = Riccardio the heart guy  
> Percival Butler (Bonnibel's case worker) = Peppermint Butler
> 
> Mi Kyong (last name not known) AKA "Lady" (one of the orphanage caretakers) = Lady Rainicorn
> 
> Ember (last name not known) (second orphanage caretaker) = Flame Princess
> 
> Translation of Korean: 무슨 일이지 = What's going on?!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is a bit... lighter? I guess that's the word for it. Its not like its all rainbows and butterflies, but its the first chapter that wasn't really designed to force the plot along to the next big thing. That being said its also not a filler chapter... more of a character builder for Bonnibel. You see a bit more of why she is the way she is (I hope) and get to enjoy some of the more typical childhood mishaps.
> 
> Trigger Warning: Emotional neglect and overbearing parents. [sorry there's no good way to say this without spoiling everything, basically a fair amount of self pity and bad parenting.]

**Chapter 7: Accidents Happen**

Bonnibel awoke and found herself tucked into an unfamiliar bed. Fighting down a rush of panic, she tried to remember how she'd gotten there.

_I... I was in the hospital..._ _and Simon dropped me off at... at..._

Her head hurt. It was as if someone had pressed fast forward inside her head, all of the previous day's events returning to her waking mind in a jumbled mass of noise. Like someone banging a drum between her temples. She couldn't take it. It was so loud inside her head, each thought, each detail, each moment fighting for her attention.

_Stop_

Children surrounding her, hounding her with questions...

_Please stop_

The sickly girl on the floor. The woman with her eyes full of concern...

_No more!_

Running, so much running...

_I DON'T WANT THIS_

A hug... a soothing rock back and forth... then nothing

Bonnibel's gasped for air. Tears continuing where they had left off. She had fallen asleep in Ember's comforting hug. She was in the orphanage. This was her new home. The pain subsided in her head, allowing her to finally take in her surroundings...

"...ssss..."

The hiss came from nowhere, causing her to jump. Bonnibel turned towards the sound's origins, eyes narrowing in on a bed across from her. A figure lay beneath the sheets and the sound conveniently repeated itself, confirming she was looking at the right direction. Releaved she wasn't in immediate danger, she took in the room around her. It was strangly familiar... in fact it looked a lot like the one she'd hidden in earlier... her gaze returned to the bed opposite of her.

_This is Marceline's..._

She watched as the sheets covering the so-called vampire rose slowly... the hiss coinciding with their decent. Something in Bonnibel's mind clicked.

_...snoring?_

Her lips curled slightly as she watched the girl breath in... and hiss out a few more times, confirming her suspicion.

_I was scared of her snoring?!_

The smile grew quickly, disrupting the few tears still rolling down her cheeks. There was a strange pressure building inside Bonnibel's chest. She clamped a hand over her mouth just in time to muffle a giggle. She'd been scared of her snoring! Her snoring, of all things! Bonnibel's sides began to hurt as each soft hiss from Marceline only worsened her bout of giggles.

It was only after the abrupt warmness began to gather around her thighs, that she was able to stop. Her amusement vanished as she wriggled herself free from her sheets, holding the space between her legs as she rose to her feet.

_I have to go_

Bonnibel hated to admit it... but she'd already gone a fair amount... but she couldn't exactly continue... she shook herself and scurried out of the room, not quite so desperate, but still definitely in need of a toilet.

Bonnibel realized she was in trouble as she entered the long corridor filled with doors. She hadn't fully been able to stop the leak as it were, and she had no idea where to look.

_I have to GO_

She fidgeted holding the damp space between her legs as she danced about, the floorboards creaking beneath her as she did.

A light clicked on a few doors down, an occupant roused from sleep due to the noise. Had Bonnibel's bladder not been leaking, she would have tried to hide, but as it were she waited for the door to open, a surprised Lady appearing on the other side.

Her hair was no longer up in a bun, and instead fell like an inky curtain over the silky pink collar of her night clothes. A single thin brow rose as she took in the girl's awkward dance... and the puddle on the floor.

"화장실?" She asked softly. She was not awake enough to remember the English for toilet.

Bonnibel nodded urgently, hoping she was correct in guessing the woman's meaning.

Lady pointed to the opened door across from and watched as Bonnibel rushed inside.

The bathroom was similar to the ones at school, with several stalls along one wall and a row of sinks along the other. Bonnibel occupied the closet stall shivered as her bottom hit the cold plastic seat, the tinkling sound echoing around her.

The immediate emergency over... Bonnibel took inventory of the damage. Her pajama bottoms were soaked, and her sheets would probably need changing as well.

_How could I let this happen_ Bonnibel chastised _How could I be so stupid?!_

She was surprised when she heard a sniffle, and even more surprised to find it came from her.

_I really_ _**am** _ _stupid._

She reached for the toilet paper and carefully folded it neatly into squares before using it as a tissue to wipe her eyes and blow her nose. She couldn't believe she was crying again, and she hated herself for not being able to stop.

The floorboards creaked once more out in the hall as someone moved about. It almost had to be Lady.

_Probably cleaning up my mess_...

This realization only served to increase her frustration. The girl balled her toilet-tissue into a ball and threw it into the water. She wasn't sure why she did it, as it didn't really make her feel better, but it was better than just... just _sitting_.

She was just so... so angry all of a sudden! Angry at herself, for her lack of control, angry for crying so much... for causing her father to snap...

_And here come the tears_ Bonnibel thought bitterly as she came full circle.

A knock on the stall door caught her off guard, a final brief tinkling sound highlighting her surprise.

A hand appeared from underneath the door, presenting a fresh pair of pajama bottoms and underwear for her to change into.

"여기에"

Bonnibel found Lady's voice was comforting, despite having no clue what the woman meant.

She changed quickly before gathering up the soiled clothes, wincing at how loud the toilets flush was. She found Lady waiting with a trash bag already containing her soiled bed-sheets, and added her clothes to the mix.

Bonnibel found she was unable to look at Lady directly as she washed her hands. She couldn't shake the image of her running to Marceline's aid, her hair loose from its bun... her voice so full of concern. It didn't help that she'd already gone and made the woman clean up after her... her well... _accident_.

**_Gggeeraurrr_ **

Bonnibel froze, stealing a glance at Lady through the mirror hoping she hadn't heard... only to watch as the woman's lips curled into a knowing smile.

Bonnibel shook her head and turned off the water, adamantly trying to deny what had just happened. She didn't bother to dry her hands as she tried to escape before...

**_Glurpa-grrraa_ **

Bonnibel glared at her stomach, furious that it would betray her like that. She felt a hand rest on her shoulder, pushing her slowly out the door and down the hall towards the stairs.

"당신은 배고픈해야합니다" Lady chuckled to herself, before adding, "You missed dinner."

* * *

Lady had guided her to the same chair from lunch, leaving Bonnibel with the sense of... she was pretty sure the phrase was ' _déjà view_ ', but it didn't sound quite right... anyway it felt like all of this had happened before. She sat in the same spot from lunch, and Lady had gone off to warm up her meal while she watched.

Bonnibel still felt guilty. She had always been taught to not be a... a _burden_ as her mother put it. At home if she made a mess she would be punished and expected to clean it up. If she was tardy for a meal she wouldn't be allowed to eat it. If she had even dared to shout at her father like she had with Ember, she... well she couldn't even imagine what would have happened.

Lady sat the plate down in front of her with a smile before starting to turn away. Flustered, Bonnibel knew she had to say _something_ , but what?!

"Wait!" she winced, that had come out a bit louder then she'd meant.

Lady seemed to agree if Bonnibel was reading her frown right, but she stood still.

"W-wait..." Bonnibel tried again, softer. "Th-thank you..."

Lady smiled but didn't make to move. She sensed the girl had something else to say.

Bonnibel fidgeted slightly in her seat, staring down at her plate of chicken nuggets and potatoes mixed with peas. It smelled good, even if it had been re-heated in the microwave.

"Wh...Why are you doing this?" she whispered her question into her plate, "Aren't you mad at me? F-for everything...?"

**_Children do as they are told. Children do not question adults. I make the rules. You follow them._ **

Bonnibel shook her father's mantra from her head. She knew she shouldn't be asking questions. She knew the consequences. There were so many consequences... but... but she couldn't _help_ it. Curiosity was in her nature. She longed to question everything, but had always been punished for doing so.

**_That is what books are for. That is what school is for. Do not question authority!_ **

_But books only answer so much..._

She looked up from her internal struggle and into Lady's smiling face. It took her by surprise. She had been ready for anger, for disappointment, for disgust or fear. She had seen all these from her parents in response to her questions... but never a smile.

"Children are meant to be cared for. How can I be mad when you learn best from mistakes? Now, eat."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had some problems with this chapter, but I wanted to expand a bit more on Lady's personality since last chapter we got a fair bit of Ember's. My muse is working a little out of order recently. I find myself writing sections of this story that I know I can't use right away, so while that's cool and I've gotten a chuck of future story done, it doesn't really help for the current chapter. Anyway, sorry if you guys found this boring, I am trying to convince my Muse that the next chapter will be focused more on Marceline and Bonnibel, but I can't promise anything.
> 
> Translations in order of appearance
> 
> 화장실 = Toilet?
> 
> 여기에 = Here
> 
> 당신은 배고픈해야합니다 = You must be hungry


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I try to keep my authors notes brief, as I do not want to take away from the story, but this time there’s a bit of house-keeping that needs to be done. You can read it at the authors notes at the end of the page.
> 
> Trigger Warning: Bullying.

**Chapter 8: Vampy and the Bedwetter**

Marceline awoke in a foul mood and spent a few minutes glaring up at the ceiling. Yesterday had _not_ been a good day. She’d tried to follow Simon’s advice and ‘act natural’ but it hadn’t worked. The new girl had called her a vampire just like all the others. No one here liked her... Simon, Lady, and Ember didn’t count, they were adults, and they _had_ to like her... it was their job to like her.

With a groan she rolled to her side startled to see she wasn’t alone. The new girl was sprawled on her back on top of the sheets, pajama bottoms mismatched with her tops. Marceline frowned, listening to the sounds of footsteps out in the hall, the showers on the floor above already in use.

She knew all the hot water would be gone soon. She also knew the new girl wouldn’t have a clue. The internal struggle over what to do was decided with a smirk as she threw off her covers and grabbed her pillow.

The distance between their beds wasn’t more than two feet, and Marceline closed in, knowing which floorboards to avoid. Arriving silently to her destination, she paused long enough to properly examine her new roommate.

The sleeping girl was around her age, maybe a bit younger, and scrawny. She looked like a lima bean with legs, the way her stomach stuck out. Marceline was pretty sure she was taller of the two, but it would be close. It was weird though... the way the girls face was puffed up like she’d been crying recently, and what was with the circles under her eyes?

With a shrug Marceline gave the new kid one chance,

“Hey!” She called, faltering to remember the girl’s name... _What did Simon call her again? Oh yeah_ , “Hey! _Bonnet-Bell_ , get up!” _What a weird name._

Marceline waited, but the girl didn’t stir. With a shrug she raised her pillow up and over her head, bringing it down onto the new kids head with a satisfying _thwump._

That got the new kid up real fast.

“Huh...?! W-whaz...” she asked still in a daze.

“That wasss for yes-s-sterday, Now get up!” Drill sergeant Marceline ordered. They were running out of time.

So when the new girl just lay there, it was up to Marceline to take action. In one smooth motion Marceline reached in and grabbed “Bonnet-Bell” by the arm, yanking on it a little until the new girl took the hint and got up.

“We gotta hurry up s-s-sleepybutt! Come on!!”  

Marceline took the lead, adjusting her hand to grip the girl by the wrist as they exited the room and trotted unevenly past Lady’s vacant room. She was glad to see other children were still stumbling about in their rooms, groggily reading themselves for the morning Trek to the shower room. They were almost to their destination when...

“Well, well, well... if it isn’t the little vampire~”

Marceline froze for only a moment at the sound of the girls voice, her grip tightening around “Bonnet-Bell” before trudging forward once more, lowering her gaze. A pair of sock-covered-feet appeared before her following a series of rushed steps. With her path blocked, Marceline was forced to stop.

“You know the rules! No monsters allowed!”

“I’m not a mon-mon...” Marceline hated this. She hated that she couldn’t say what she wanted. She hated that the girl was laughing before she finally spit out, “Monster!”

She raised her head to look at Maja directly, to face her laughter. The girl had her brown hair up in a bun again. It was so thick it was almost bigger than her head. She tried to ignore all the eyes on her. All the children watching them... _Bonnet-Bell_ watching them.

“Of course yer a monster! What else has chompers like that! Just _look_ at you!” Maja mocked, waving a hand from Marceline’s head to toe, “Yer a weirdo freak!”

Maja looked past Marceline now, looked through her. “And you,” She moved past her now, purposefully knocking into her as she went, “You're the new kid, so you didn't know. Stay away from the monster - you'll _catch her_ _freaky-nasty_!”

Maja’s footsteps carried her away from them now, away from the shower room. Marceline stood, shaking in her frustration from the public humiliation. She couldn’t say anything back, no matter how much she wanted to. She’d just end up stuttering and making herself look like a fool!

“Wait!”

Marceline’s winced as “Bonnet-Bell” broke free from her grasp...

_Great... Maja’s won Bonnet-Bell over. Why do I even keep trying?!_

“You apologize to Marceline right this instant!”

The hall of children gasped in unison. All eyes turning to stare at Bonnibel, then Maja, and back again. Marceline shook her head, sure she had misheard. _No one_ challenged Maja... She controlled the second floor, she _ruled it_.

Maja turned on a heel, closing the gap between herself and Bonnibel in a few well-placed steps. She towered over the newest orphan, doing her best to intimidate the girl, to put her in her place.

“What’d you say?” Marceline shivered at the ice in Maja’s voice, turning now to watch the scene unfold.

Bonnibel didn’t waver and held the older girls gaze. “You heard me! Apologize! It means ‘to say sorry’! You were being a... a... a _butt_ to Marceline! Now apologize!”

Maja laughed loudly, careful to do so right in Bonnibel’s face. All eyes were on them now, thoughts of showering abandoned the moment the new girl had stood up to the resident bully and subsequent leader. Everyone wanted to see how the faceoff would end.

“I don’t gotta say nothing! Not to some... uh... some bedwetter like you!” Maja smirked when Bonnibel faltered, using the time to continue her onslaught, “Vampy and the bedwetter sitting in a tree K-I-S... uh... KISSING! EWW-- KISSING!”

Bonnibel huffed at this, visibly becoming more aggravated. “If you’re going to insult me at least know how to do it right!”

Maja turned away from Bonnibel and to the crowd of children, pointing a finger dramatically at the new girl’s face, “SEE! The monster already ate her brain and turned her into a ZOMBIE!”

“That doesn’t make any-“ Bonnibel began...

Maja flung herself to the floor holding her head, the thump surely drawing attention to their caretakers on the floor below. “AHHHH SHE'S TRYING TO INVADE MY BRAINNN!”

The collective scream that followed was deafening. Children scattered this way and that, fleeing down the hall to their bedrooms or the stairwell. Soon only Bonnibel and Marceline remained. The two stood there in a daze... that is until the sound of Ember’s annoyed footsteps snapped Marceline back to reality.

The so called vampire jumped into action, grabbing “Bonnet-Bell” by the hand and pulling her into the relative safety of the Shower-room. Letting the new girl go, Marceline only made it a few steps before a burning pain erupted in her chest. she gripped at her shirt over her heart, frightened at how fast it was beating...

  _I need to sit..._

Spots began to from her vision; she forced herself to focus on the bench built into the wall, concentrating solely on reaching it before allowing her exhaustion to take hold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: PLEASE READ
> 
> First: I updated the summary for this story to give both new and old readers a better idea of where I’m going with this... I actually do have an end in mind for this story, (despite the last few chapters) and there is a plot (I just wish I could tell you when it will be revealing itself). 
> 
> Second: My good friend and fanfiction editor, Kinirohana, will be studying abroad in Japan next semester. There is a 14 hour time difference between here and there, so please bear with the additional grammar mistakes that will surely appear in her absence. She wants to continue to edit my chapters even while over-seas, but that may mean slower-updates. 
> 
> Third: My next semester is fast approaching. I am a senior in college but a junior in my undergrad major... which to put simply means my life during school is nothing but school. I may very well have little to no time to work on chapters/updates, and with my editor in another country... the next few months of story progress look grim. 
> 
> That being said I do not plan on abandoning this story. I fully intend on finishing it... and may even have a sequel in mind (depending on my free time). Just expect future updates to be slow or non-existent until the semester is over or we have a blizzard. 
> 
> Finally a word of clarification for this chapter: Every time I use ‘Bonnet-Bell’ instead of Bonnibel, it is to represent that Marceline still thinks this is her roommates’ name. Side note: Microsoft word doesn’t like the spelling of Bonnibel, but has NO PROBLEMS with Bonnet-Bell, [Insert eye-roll here]. 
> 
> P.S. Props to an online friend of mine whom pretty much wrote the dialogue for Maja, yet insisted to remain unnamed.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Guess what! We had a blizzard and I got two days off school. You have 14 inches of snow and a half inch of ice to thank for this most recent chapter. My tentative goal is to publish at least one chapter a month, but I have 20 hours of observation to do for ONE class, and I am working part time. So my writing time is limited. Thank you for understanding!
> 
> Trigger Warning: Mentions of childhood abandonment and bullying

Chapter 9: Full house

**Thump**

Ember exchanged a glance with Lady and grimaced as the thump was soon followed by the screams of several children. Both women had their hands full, infant in one hand bottle in the other, which meant the ensuing debate was held in silence.

Ember watched as Lady gave a coy smile, gesturing her head towards the door as if to say: ‘ _your turn.’_

Ember shook her head. ‘ _No way’._ She bounced the feeding infant in her arms and glanced over the other three cribs still occupied in the nursery. ‘ _These guys are hungry!’_

Lady raised a brow before silently closing the distance between them. She shifted the infant to her left arm and positioned the bottle it suckled against her chest, coming to a stop in front of Ember. Her right hand freed, she gently scooped the two-month-old out of Ember’s arms, taking the bottle and balancing it as she had the first in the process.

Ember rolled her eyes, lifting both arms in surrender ‘ _Alright, alright I’m going!’_

Lady gave a satisfied nod and moved to sit in one of the nursery’s wooden chairs as the smell of diaper filled the air. The red-headed woman laughed silently at Lady’s face, clearly the woman had not intended to feed and _change_ all the infants by herself, but it was too late now!

As Ember escaped into the hall her demeanor changed from gentile caregiver to jail-warden in an instant. By the time she reached the stairwell the stampede of children fleeing from the second floor was in full swing. The fiery haired woman inhaled deeply before letting out a mighty bellow.

“FREEZE!”

All of the children ceased their movement, as if by magic... though there were a few collisions. Any of the orphanage’s longtime residents knew better than to flee from Ember MacKay. The orphanage owner and caretaker had made a point to know every child by name. Escape attempts meant certain punishment, and none of them wanted that.

Ember scanned for oldest among them, looking for the most reliable explication, but it was a wasted effort.

“Uhm, like, Ms. Ember? I can’t believe what just happened! So like, we were all like-“

Ember turned towards the voice, not surprised to find Liseli* pushing her way through the crowed and up to the front. The girl had been left as a toddler, abandoned in a shopping mall with only a ‘Hello My Name Is’ sticker stuck on her back. The MacKay house had taken her in a few weeks later, and she’d been there ever since.

“...just wait-tin to take our freak-EN showers but like, NOOO. We didn’t even GET Any-ah sweet show-ah time. Like, I was about tah when this FIGHT broke out and I was all ‘OH MY GOSH’ and—“

Ember smiled, but she had to stop the girl there, “Liseli! I need the short version, please.”

Liseli was annoyed by this and crossed her arms over her purple pajama top with a humph.

Ember resisted rolling her eyes, and corrected herself, adding the girl’s self-given last name, “Ms. _Party_ I need to know what happened.”

Before Liseli had the chance to respond, the entire house was filled with a screech capable of breaking glass.

Ember frowned as the children around her plugged their ears in a desperate attempt to muffle the sound. Wails from the nursery joined the inhuman screech, creating a symphony that could only be titled ‘Hell’s Cacophony’.

Wading through the sea of children Ember began up the stairs taking them two at a time.

* * *

The glare of the ceiling lights on the wet tiled floor made Bonnibel’s head throb, bringing her out of her trance. She stood in what appeared to be a small changing hall that was separated from the much larger shower room by only a thin shower curtain extending the length of the room. Beyond the curtain several shower heads jutted out from the walls. Bonnibel looked to her right, taking note of the cubbies along the wall filled with shower products and fresh towels. She frowned at the dirty clothes and wet towels that littered the floor... almost as if their owners had left in a hurry.

Her thoughts still fuzzy, she turned to her left to find Marceline laying prone on a bench. Initially Bonnibel just stood there, merely observing the frail girl’s ragged breathing. Several moments passed before the synapses in her brain finally connected, allowing her a moment of absolute clarity.

“Marceline!”

Bonnibel closed the distance between them and stared down at her friend... _wait... **friend?**_

The thought surprised her. There was no logical reason for her to think of Marceline as a friend... _What’s the point anyway? After last night there’s no way we’ll be friends... but... then..._

“...el”, A buzz began in her ears, but she ignored it.

_Why did I stand up for her? I mean no one else was... and that Maja girl wasn’t making any sense... except..._

“...Et... El”, The buzzing grew sharper and more persistent, sounding almost familiar...

_Except she knew about my accident last night! And she told everyone about it! Globit!!_

“BONNET-BELL!” the buzzing broke through.

Marceline was tugging on the front of her shirt urgently, pulling her from her trance and back to reality. The so called vampire was in a panic, her milk-chocolate eyes focused on the shower room’s entrance. 

“Run Bonnet-Bell! He’s coming!”

Bonnibel stared questioningly at her... friend... that title would have to do for now.

_Bonnet-bell? Does she mean me?_

“...Who?”

Marceline’s eyes widened into saucers before she had a chance to reply and Bonnibel knew that they were in trouble. She turned and looked over her shoulder, eyes meeting kneecaps. Tilting her head upwards she gasped at the man towering before her.

He must have been over six feet tall, yet retained the spitting image of a stick figure. His arms and legs were abnormally skinny and long, and there was hardly any torso worth mentioning. His face was the only thing remotely round about him, and even that was more like an oval that came to meet at a funny bump atop his head which remained visible despite his brown hair.

The man’s nose was slender and jutted out like a toothpick between his two oval eyes, while his thin, almost nonexistent, lips sat puckered just above his chin. He looked as if he had just tasted something sour... that is until those lips spread out disturbingly wide and he unleashed a ghoulish screech.

“NNNNEEERRRRRYYYYYYYYY!!!!”

Bonnibel stumbled away from him, fear gripping her in a flash. She could feel Marceline tugging them closer together, seeming to shrink away behind Bonnibel as if she were a shield. Bonnibel found a small amount of comfort in knowing she was not alone with the man.

“THIS IS UNNACCEEPTABLE!”

His voice drained all the color from her cheeks but she could not look away. Bonnibel stared in shock as he reached out to tightly grab her shoulder. He yanked her forwards and out of Marceline’s grasp, causing her to yelp in surprise.

“NOO TOUUUCHING! NO TOUCHING!” he screeched.

Bonnibel was released only once she had been dragged several feet away from Marceline. She realized that despite the man’s jerky movements and tight grip, he had left her unharmed. Confused she looked to Marceline, who seemed just as dazed. 

Footsteps from the hallway caught all of their attention, as well as the voice that accompanied it.

“What’s going on up here?!” Ember roared.

The fiery haired woman came to a stop at the entrance and took in the scene. Bonnibel could sense the man next to her growing tense. He seemed afraid of Ember despite being a head taller.

“Leon,” her voice cracked like wood popping in a fire, “Care to explain why you felt it necessary to wake the infants downstairs with your yelling?”

Bonnibel glanced back to the man and smirked... _You’re in trouble now_

“Ms. MacKay,” the man nodded, sounding satisfied that she had finally arrived, “these two – were – TOUCHING!”

Ember waited... then waited some more. Surely there had to be some other explanation... but when none came she couldn’t say she was surprised.

“Leon how many times do we have to go over this?” Ember sighed in exasperation, “You’re responsible for the teenagers upstairs. THEY are the ones you’re supposed to keep from touching each other!”

Leon straightened himself up to his full height and jutting out his chin, “But they—“

Ember silenced him with a simple raised hand, “Were the ones responsible for all the commotion. I know, Leon, and I’ll take care of it,” she took a deep breath in before walking forwards and patting the strange man once on the shoulder. He flinched at the contact but it seemed to get his attention.

“I appreciate you stepping in, but please let Lady and I deal with the children. After all, your responsibilities on the third floor are far too important for you to be distracted by a minor squabble like this,” she explained, stroking his ego a bit in order to prevent another outburst.

It worked, and Leon left with a grunt that sounded an awful lot like ‘acceptable’... but Bonnibel couldn’t be sure. With that crisis averted, Ember crossed the room to Marceline and placed the back of her hand against the girl’s forehead.

“You’re not looking so hot there Marcy... but you don’t feel warm. Do you want me to call the doctor?”

Marceline stood up and shook her head, careful to avoid Ember’s gaze.

“No... I wanna s-s-shower...” came her mumbled response.

“Maja was picking on you again, wasn’t she?”

It was more of a statement then a question, but after a moment’s pause Marceline shook her head ‘No’.

“Yes she was!”

Bonnibel stopped, trying to find the source of the voice until she realized it was her own. She felt self-conscious when she realized both Ember and Marceline were staring at her. It was like they’d both forgotten she was in the room.

“She was being mean and calling her names,” Bonnibel continued, stepping up to Ember, “and... and no one tried to stop her until--”

“BONNET-BELL”

Bonnibel stopped short, surprised by Marceline’s sudden outburst.

“It’s no big deal, Maja... was-s-s jus-s-t joking. _Right_ Bonnet-bell?”

_What is she saying?!_ _How can she defend Maja like that?_

Bonnibel wanted to disagree, she wanted to rat on Maja and get the wicked girl in trouble. She wanted Ember to know the truth... but Marceline was staring daggers at her and she knew... she just knew if she told the truth she’d anger her roommate and potential friend.

“Is this true Bonnibel?” Ember probed.

“N-No... I mean... I don’t really know Maja very well yet. If... if Marceline says she was just joking then... I misunderstood,” Bonnibel said carefully, hating herself for lying until she saw the relief on Marceline’s face.

Ember frowned, but seemed to accept her answer as she stood up.

“Right, well then you two get cleaned up and do it quick or you’ll miss breakfast!”

Turning on her heel, the two girls were left alone to bathe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: *you pronounce LSP's name as Lee-SEE lee


End file.
